Latest news with #EnglishPrivateLandlordSurvey
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landlord ordered to pay £1,000 for WhatsApp eviction
Are you a landlord with a nightmare eviction story? Let us know money@ A Cardiff landlord has been ordered to pay £945 for attempting to evict her tenants over WhatsApp. Property owner Nicole May pleaded guilty to unlawful eviction after serving her tenants notice over the messaging app last May. Sending documents by text or WhatsApp to evict a tenant, or informing them verbally, are not generally considered legally valid methods to evict a tenant. Instead, notice must be delivered in a way that ensures the tenant receives the documents and that the landlord can prove they have served them if challenged. The court heard how Ms May had sent a WhatsApp message to the tenants of the property in Splott, south Cardiff, in May 2024 asking them to leave the property. The tenants were then forced to vacate after the landlord and members of her family entered the house without permission and demanded they leave. The police were called and the tenants vacated the property after the altercation. Nicole May pleaded guilty to unlawful eviction at Cardiff Magistrates' Court in February after failing to serve the correct legal notice. Ms May was fined £461, ordered to pay costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £184. Labour's impending Renters' Rights Bill is set to further restrict the ways in which landlords will be able to evict a tenant. The legislation will abolish Section 21, known as 'no-fault evictions'. This means that landlords will need to provide a reason to end a tenancy, such as selling the property or that a family member needs to move in. Currently, landlords can evict a tenant with two months' notice and without seeking court approval. Under the ban, all evictions will have to go through the county courts. The policy will become law later this year despite warnings that Britain's courts are already under severe pressure. Court wait times stand at 32 weeks – a delay campaigners have warned could lengthen once the legislation comes into force. Critics of the Bill have warned that it could lead to a rise in rents, as landlords sell up and flee the sector amid tougher conditions and dwindling profits. One in three landlords are now looking to sell off some or all of their rental properties, according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, with just under two thirds blaming recent changes in legislation. Landlords and senior Tory MPs are considering launching a legal challenge to the legislation. Alex Cook, a property litigation solicitor at law firm Helix Law, said forward-thinking landlords should begin preparing for changes the Bill will bring about. He added: 'Many landlords, especially those managing just one or two properties, don't realise there are strict legal requirements for ending tenancies. 'The case in Cardiff demonstrates that courts take unlawful evictions very seriously, regardless of whether a landlord was aware of their legal obligations. 'Ignorance of the law is not a defence, and attempting shortcuts can result in significant financial penalties and potential criminal records.' Lynda Thorne, a cabinet member for Housing and Communities, said the Wales prosecution 'sends a strong message to unscrupulous landlords that the council is not afraid to take legal action to safeguard tenants and their wellbeing'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
30-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Landlord ordered to pay £1,000 for WhatsApp eviction
Are you a landlord with a nightmare eviction story? Let us know money@ A Cardiff landlord has been ordered to pay £945 for attempting to evict her tenants over WhatsApp. Property owner Nicole May pleaded guilty to unlawful eviction after serving her tenants notice over the messaging app last May. Sending documents by text or WhatsApp to evict a tenant, or informing them verbally, are not generally considered legally valid methods to evict a tenant. Instead, notice must be delivered in a way that ensures the tenant receives the documents and that the landlord can prove they have served them if challenged. The court heard how Ms May had sent a WhatsApp message to the tenants of the property in Splott, south Cardiff, in May 2024 asking them to leave the property. The tenants were then forced to vacate after the landlord and members of her family entered the house without permission and demanded they leave. The police were called and the tenants vacated the property after the altercation. Nicole May pleaded guilty to unlawful eviction at Cardiff Magistrates' Court in February after failing to serve the correct legal notice. Ms May was fined £461, ordered to pay costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £184. Labour's impending Renters' Rights Bill is set to further restrict the ways in which landlords will be able to evict a tenant. The legislation will abolish Section 21, known as 'no-fault evictions'. This means that landlords will need to provide a reason to end a tenancy, such as selling the property or that a family member needs to move in. Currently, landlords can evict a tenant with two months' notice and without seeking court approval. Under the ban, all evictions will have to go through the county courts. The policy will become law later this year despite warnings that Britain's courts are already under severe pressure. Court wait times stand at 32 weeks – a delay campaigners have warned could lengthen once the legislation comes into force. Critics of the Bill have warned that it could lead to a rise in rents, as landlords sell up and flee the sector amid tougher conditions and dwindling profits. One in three landlords are now looking to sell off some or all of their rental properties, according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, with just under two thirds blaming recent changes in legislation. Landlords and senior Tory MPs are considering launching a legal challenge to the legislation. Alex Cook, a property litigation solicitor at law firm Helix Law, said forward-thinking landlords should begin preparing for changes the Bill will bring about. He added: 'Many landlords, especially those managing just one or two properties, don't realise there are strict legal requirements for ending tenancies. 'The case in Cardiff demonstrates that courts take unlawful evictions very seriously, regardless of whether a landlord was aware of their legal obligations. 'Ignorance of the law is not a defence, and attempting shortcuts can result in significant financial penalties and potential criminal records.' Lynda Thorne, a cabinet member for Housing and Communities, said the Wales prosecution 'sends a strong message to unscrupulous landlords that the council is not afraid to take legal action to safeguard tenants and their wellbeing'.
Telegraph
31-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Landlords plot legal challenge against Renters' Rights Bill
Landlords and senior Tory MPs are considering launching a legal challenge against the Government's Renters' Rights Bill, reports suggest. Baroness Jane Scott, the shadow housing minister, is understood to have held a private meeting with some of the country's largest landlords and estate agents to discuss possible ways in which they might delay or prevent the bill's passing. Among the proposals was a challenge in the courts under human rights law. A similar case mounted by Scottish landlords last year unsuccessfully argued rent caps breached landlords' right to property. Three people present at the meeting told The Guardian they had also discussed delaying the bill with repeated rounds of amendments in the House of Lords. The Renters' Rights Bill, introduced to Parliament last September, is set to implement several key protections for tenants, including a ban on no-fault evictions and fixed-term tenancy agreements. 'Awaab's law', a key feature of the bill, will require landlords to carry out essential repairs within fixed time periods, such as dealing with damp and mould. The bill is expected to become law later this year. Former housing minister Michael Gove attempted to pass similar legislation last year, but new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has shifted her party's stance away from backing the Government's plans to make life tougher for landlords. The shadow housing minister's roundtable included representatives from property group Get Living, Dexters estate agents and the National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA), among others, The Guardian reported. The latter group has denied involvement in any discussions regarding legal challenges to the bill. Critics of the Renters' Rights Bill have warned that it could lead to a rise in rents, as landlords sell up and flee the sector amid tougher conditions and dwindling profits. A third are now looking to sell off some or all of their rental properties, according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, with just under two thirds blaming recent changes in legislation. In 2023, the Scottish Association of Landlords mounted a failed legal challenge against the Scottish government's attempts to bring in a temporary rent cap, citing the right to property as enshrined in the European convention on human rights. A Conservative party spokesman said: 'The Conservatives have been warning that this bill is deeply flawed, as it will lead to a reduced supply of rental homes. This will increase the cost of renting, affecting people across the country and in particular young people who are more likely to be living in the private rented sector. 'As is standard practice with all legislation, the official opposition engages privately with a range of stakeholders to hear their views.' Not all of the groups in attendance were comfortable with the ideas discussed, The Guardian said, with some industry figures having accepted that the bill will become law, with a preference for it to pass quickly with amendments that offer landlords more certainty. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said: 'The NRLA has long accepted that Section 21 is going and is not campaigning to retain it. Our focus remains solely on ensuring the Renters' Rights Bill is workable in practice without undermining its core objectives.' The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Dexters' were also approached for comment.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landlords plot legal challenge against Renters' Rights Bill
Landlords and senior Tory MPs are considering launching a legal challenge against the Government's Renters' Rights Bill, reports suggest. Baroness Jane Scott, the shadow housing minister, is understood to have held a private meeting with some of the country's largest landlords and estate agents to discuss possible ways in which they might delay or prevent the bill's passing. Among the proposals was a challenge in the courts under human rights law. A similar case mounted by Scottish landlords last year unsuccessfully argued rent caps breached landlords' right to property. Three people present at the meeting told The Guardian they had also discussed delaying the bill with repeated rounds of amendments in the House of Lords. The Renters' Rights Bill, introduced to Parliament last September, is set to implement several key protections for tenants, including a ban on no-fault evictions and fixed-term tenancy agreements. 'Awaab's law', a key feature of the bill, will require landlords to carry out essential repairs within fixed time periods, such as dealing with damp and mould. The bill is expected to become law later this year. Former housing minister Michael Gove attempted to pass similar legislation last year, but new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has shifted her party's stance away from backing the Government's plans to make life tougher for landlords. The shadow housing minister's roundtable included representatives from property group Get Living, Dexters estate agents and the National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA), among others, The Guardian reported. The latter group has denied involvement in any discussions regarding legal challenges to the bill. Critics of the Renters' Rights Bill have warned that it could lead to a rise in rents, as landlords sell up and flee the sector amid tougher conditions and dwindling profits. A third are now looking to sell off some or all of their rental properties, according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, with just under two thirds blaming recent changes in legislation. In 2023, the Scottish Association of Landlords mounted a failed legal challenge against the Scottish government's attempts to bring in a temporary rent cap, citing the right to property as enshrined in the European convention on human rights. A Conservative party spokesman said: 'The Conservatives have been warning that this bill is deeply flawed, as it will lead to a reduced supply of rental homes. This will increase the cost of renting, affecting people across the country and in particular young people who are more likely to be living in the private rented sector. 'As is standard practice with all legislation, the official opposition engages privately with a range of stakeholders to hear their views.' Not all of the groups in attendance were comfortable with the ideas discussed, The Guardian said, with some industry figures having accepted that the bill will become law, with a preference for it to pass quickly with amendments that offer landlords more certainty. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said: 'The NRLA has long accepted that Section 21 is going and is not campaigning to retain it. Our focus remains solely on ensuring the Renters' Rights Bill is workable in practice without undermining its core objectives.' The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Dexters' were also approached for comment. If you're a landlord, find out how to make the Renters' Rights Bill work in your favour. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
